Returned New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill appeared anything but out of touch as he and his team-mates plundered runs in a series-opening 45-run ODI win against Sri Lanka in Mount Maunganui on Thursday.
The Black Caps opener hadn’t played for the national side for 10 months due to injury and admitted prior to play at Bay Oval that he “may be a bit rusty”.
Instead, he flourished by making 138 - his 14th ODI century – as New Zealand reached an imposing 371-7 from their 50 overs. In reply, Sri Lanka’s brave chase – spearheaded by a masterful century from Kusal Perera – ensured home fans were nibbling their fingernails until late in the night.
Guptill shared the spotlight with another returnee, Jimmy Neesham, who smote five sixes in the penultimate over of the Black Caps innings batting first as he blazed his way to 47 not out off 13 balls.
Neesham hit the five sixes, a two and a single in an over from Thisara Perera that included a no-ball and cost 34 runs. It was only the end of the innings that stopped him from breaking the ODI record for fastest 50 of 16 balls by South Africa’s AB de Villiers.
Ross Taylor added a rapid 54 off 37 balls following skipper Kane Williamson’s departure after Guptill and Williamson (74) formed a partnership of 163, which fell short of New Zealand’s ODI best for the second wicket of 179 between Williamson and Neil Broom against Bangladesh in Nelson in December 2016.
Guptill – who has a career-best 237 not out in ODIs, made in the 2015 World Cup quarterfinal against the West Indies in Wellington – batted for 42.2 overs. He thumped five sixes and 11 fours in facing 139 balls in front of a over 6200 fans on a warm afternoon.
Naroshan Dickwella, in the mode of groundbreaking former Sri Lankan keeper/batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana, took on the New Zealand bowlers and field in the early powerplay overs with some delightful hitting, highlighted by an exquisite ramp shot for six off Trent Boult.
He raced to 76 off 50 balls, with three sixes and eight fours, and soon after he departed Kusal Perera took up the challenge of securing a most unlikely victory.
Perera produced a wonderful array of strokes around the ground to keep his team in the chase.
He only had one moment of doubt on the way to his century when sub fielder Tim Southee couldn’t pull off a stunning leaping boundary catch with the left-hander on 66.
His fourth ODI ton came up off 82 balls with a blazing cover drive but he departed soon after for 102 as the value of Neesham’s late hatchet job became clear.
It was an untidy New Zealand bowling display – Matt Henry didn’t enhance his reputation in going for 87 off his 10 overs.
During Sri Lanka’s innings, Taylor took over Stephen Fleming’s place as New Zealand’s most prolific catches in all international formats, with 307 catches from 382 games – Fleming had 306 from 396.
The second game of the three-match series is another day-nighter at the same venue on Saturday.
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